Duck with blueberry-orange sauce and sweet potato dumplings

So I had a lovely duck breast…some blueberries and a sweet potato and here is what came together:

Duck

Make a few slashes in the duck skin without piercing the meat. Mix a couple tablespoons extra virgin rapeseed oil (or olive oil) with 5 spice and rub all over the the duck breast.

Cook skin side down over a low heat for about 8-10 minutes, until skin is nicely browned.  Finish off in 180C oven, skin side up for 6-8 minutes.  Let sit a few minutes before slicing.

Blueberry-Orange sauce

One onion, sliced

One clove garlic, chopped

One orange, juiced and about 1 tablespoon zest

One cup chicken stock

Bay leaf

Star anise

Pinch herbs de provence

Balsamic vinegar

Couple pinches sugar

Handful blueberries

Tablespoon of butter

Saute the onions in a couple tablespoons of extra virgin rapeseed oil (or olive oil) over a low heat until the onions just barely start to brown, add the chopped garlic and cook for  1-2 minutes.  Add balsamic vinegar, cook another minute, add star anise, bay leaf, herbs de provence orange zest and juice, and chicken stock.  Cook on  a low heat for 10 minutes.  Add blueberries and a pinch of sugar, cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until blueberries start to break up.  Check seasoning…turn off heat, stir in butter and serve with duck and dumplings.

Sweet potato dumplings

1 medium sweet potato, baked, flesh removed and mashed

1/2 cup flour (I use 000 pasta flour), sifted

1 large egg, beaten

Pinch chili flakes

With your hands gently mix together the mashed sweet potato flesh, flour, pinch chili flakes and egg.  Let sit 5-10 minutes, then drop by small spoonfuls onto a dish dusted with flour.  Roll the dumplings so they are lightly dusted with flour then boil for 3-4 minutes.  Toss dumplings in rapeseed (or olive) oil and top with another pinch of chili flakes and some sea salt (I like flaked salt…like Maldon).

That is about it…next time I make this I may try red wine in place of chicken stock.